Madrid plan to trial a 70 metre motorcycle only lane

MADRID, Spain, is set to test out a motorcycle-only lane to run along a short 70-100 metre stretch of busy road in the capital. The project is due to run for a few months, and mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida hopes the trial will reduce accidents and improve the flow of traffic. 

Motorrad Online has reported that the test will take place in the north of Madrid, and this pilot motorcycle lane will run for a short stretch along the busy Avenida de Asturias, between Calle Carmen Montoya and Calle de Montoya. It’s not specified, but we’d imagine in both directions. 

Situated to the far right of the normal lanes, a lane 1.3 metres in width will allow motorcyclists (and those on two wheels) to ride past traffic and lights - in theory avoiding the risk of accidents, and improving the flow of traffic by allowing those on two wheels to avoid filtering past.

If it all goes well, it’s assumed that further trial lanes will be set up around Madrid, a step that Mayor Martinez-Almeida will hope encourages more people to travel by powered two-wheelers.

It’s difficult to imagine how the success of this lane will be measured along such a short stretch of road, however. Will they just tally up the number of accidents, and if it reaches a certain number the project is canned?

If the project ran along an entire road the results may be a touch more realistic, but it’s a step in the right direction. If you’ve ridden in certain cities like London, cycle lanes provide a nice safe haven from traffic, to an extent. 

Is a motorcycle only lane the right idea?

We just hope it doesn’t end up like the French trial for lane-splitting, which ended up going the wrong way, and motorcyclists protested in their thousands…

Which reminds us, is lane splitting and filtering a good thing or bad thing - who’s in the right lane when it comes to allowing those on two wheels to ride between traffic?